Andrew Perriman has some challenging thoughts on the emerging church’s need to be biblical, in light of recent criticism, including this (in italics) from Al Mohler (reviewing McLaren’s AGO):

The Emergent movement represents a significant challenge to biblical Christianity. [-Al Mohler]

But the emergent movement could also be a ’significant challenge’ in a much more constructive and exciting sense: ‘biblical Christianity’ - not as an ideal construct but as an intellectual product of twentieth century evangelicalism - is imperfect and is open to challenge, correction, realignment, and reinvigoration. I would say that the theology of the emerging church ought to aspire to be more consistently, more critically, more realistically, more adventurously, more honestly biblical than the sort of evangelicalism represented by Mohler. Andrew Perriman, Open Source Theology

First, Andrew, thank you for this. It’s very much what I needed. Your comment on my previous post was more helpful than you can imagine.

Second, this is a little daunting. How could anyone be more biblical than modern evangelicals? If we go by the sheer amount of scripture one has memorized or is familiar with or can pull out in support of an idea, we have no chance. Generations of Sunday school, Bible bowl, proof-texting, and twice-weekly Bible studies have generated a level of total saturation in the Scriptures that I don’t think will ever be replicated.

But maybe there’s no reason to aspire to that kind of biblical literacy - or to be satisfied with it. As Andrew says, we need to be more:

• consistently
• critically
• realistically
• adventurously
• honestly
• biblical

Have we been a victim of our biblical pedagogical methods? Have we focused too much on knowing the details, and not enough on understanding the big picture? And since the details are often quite important, have we used the details to support the points (usually 3 at a time) we’re trying to make from the scriptures, rather than respecting and seeking to understand them as they are (which will also require attention to detail)?

The methods by which I’ve learned the scriptures in my past are:

• Sermons and bible classes
• Reading through the bible
• Reading topical books by Christian authors (usually pastors, who write the books as if for their congregations)

There is a strong connection between how we learn and what we learn, despite our best intentions to just learn “the curriculum” (in this case, the Bible). These didactic methods lend themselves best to biblical teaching that is:

• concise and simple
• self-explanatory and not reliant on heavy background material
• clear and unambiguous in meaning
• clear on moral imperatives
• reinforcing of obedience to such biblical teaching

These are all good things to a point. People need to be able to understand what’s being taught, or teaching isn’t happening. They need to know what to do with the teaching, or there’s no point.

But what if the scriptures are (another list!) more like this?

• messy and complex
• interweaving and a reflection of now-unknown historical situations
• mysterious and/or ambiguous
• not trying to reinforce 19th and 20th century morality
• not all intended as moral teaching

Clearly, we will need different methods for benefiting from scripture. We will need to study the background of the bible the way our best teachers have always done (N.T. Wright is a good place to start). We will need to tolerate the ambiguity and complexity of some scriptures, even if we don’t find it as comforting as the blind certainty we once derived from them. We will need to understand the whole story arc of the scriptures, and find ourselves at its leading edge, since the story God is telling isn’t over.

We will have to consider the possibility that our old moralisms were correct, even if they are now out of vogue. We will have to consider the possibility that our old ways of seeing the world were cover-ups for evil, or at least excuses to keep us from doing what God wants us to do. We will have to accept that scripture doesn’t address every problem we face now or will face in the future. We need to remember that God gave us the scriptures to guide us, but also gave the Spirit to help out and continue the process.

More biblical, indeed. Thanks for the challenge.